Huckleberry-picker.



- M. J. FRANCIS.

HUCKLEBBRRY PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1910.

1,010,488. Patented Dec. 5, i911.

Inventors r I I Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY JANE FRANCIS, OF GALE'ION, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 DAVID H. LANGAN, 0F GALE-TON, PENNSYLVANIA.

HUCKLEBERRY-PICKER.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

To all whom it may concern;

7 Be it known that I, MARY JANE FRANCIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galeton, in the county of Potter and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful I-Iuckleberry-Picker, of which the following is a specification.

It is one object of this invention to provide a berry picker which may readily be manipulated by hand to sweep large quantities of berries from the bushes at a single stroke.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for stripping the berries from the bushes, and to provide novel means for retaining the berries within the device as the latter is swung to and fro in the berry picking operation.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a barrier of novel and improved form which shall likewise serve as a means for supporting the picker bars.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the invention in perspective; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section upon the line A-B of Fig. 2; and Fig. 1 is a fragmental bottom plan illustrating. a modified form of the invention.

The invention includes, as a primary and fundamental element, a box-like body B, comprising side walls 1, the lower, forward edges of which are upwardly curved, as denoted by the numeral 2. The rear extremities of the side walls 1 are connected by an end wall 3. The upper edges of the side walls 1 are connected by a top 4. This top 4 as clearly seen in Fig. 2 and there denoted by the numeral 5, terminates short of the end wall 3, thus to define an opening in the top of the box-like body, through which opening the berries may be removed after they have been picked.

The invention further includes a transverse bail-shaped handle 6, the extremities of which are secured to the side walls 1 as shown at 9. This bail-shaped transverse handle 6 ispreferably, although not necessarily, located about one-third of the length of the device from the forward end thereof. A longitudinally extended handle 7 is shown, one end of which is secured as at 28 to the intermediate portion of the transverse handle 6. The rear end of the longitudinal handle 7 is secured as shown at 8 to the end wall 3 of the body. Secured to the side walls 1 of the body adjacent the opening in the top thereof, are guides 10. Within these guides 10 reciprocates a sliding closure 11. This closure 11 at its rear edge is downturned to form a stop 12, which, engaging the rear edge of the top 4 serves to limit the sliding movement of the closure when the closure is slid into open position. The forward edge of the closure 11, is upturned. as shown at 14, to form a finger piece whereby the closure may he slid to and fro. At oppositely disposed points in the vicinity of the transverse handle 6, the side walls 1 are connected by a hollow member 15. One edge of this member 15 is carried upwardly and rearwardly, to'form a barrier 16. This barrier 16 serves to retain the berries in the body of the device. The upper edge of the barrier 16 is rolled over as shown at 17. so that the berries may not be bruised as they pass over the upper edge of the barrier.

The invention further includes a plurality of picker bars 18 which constitute the bottom of the box-like body. These picker bars 18 are extended through the transverse hollow member 15, the rear ends of the picker bars being secured between a shoulder 19, formed by flexing forwardly the lower edge of the end wall 3, as shown at 19, and a securing plate 20 extended from one side wall to the other, in contact with the rear wall 3. The forward ends of the picker bars 18 are upwardly curved, as shown at 21, to conform tothe curvature of the edges 2 of the side walls 1. The picker bars 18 may, if desired, at their forward ends, be pointed as shown at 22. As clearly seen in Fig. 3, and there denoted by the numeral 32, the lower edges of the side walls 1 may be bent upon themselves to engage the outermost picker bars, thus to hold the picker bars in place.

Although the picker bars perferably are extended the full length of the body, in

order to form the bottom thereof, this construction is not compulsory. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4c, the body may be provided with a bottom 23, extended rearwardly from the hollow member 15. The picker bars 2 in such instance, extends into the hollow member 15. The hollow member 25 is, as hereinbefore described, flexed along one edge to form the barrier 26, the upper edge of which is rolled over as shown at 27.

In practical operation, either or both of the handles 6 and 7 may be grasped, the device being swung to and fro, the picker bars 18 separating the vine bushes and sweeping the berries therefrom. The berries, rolling rearwardly along the picker bars will travel upwardly along the inclined barrier 16 and lodge to the rear of the same, against accidental displacement. When it is desired to remove the berries from the body, the finger piece 14 may be engaged, sliding the closure 11 forwardly, the depending stop 12 serving to limit the forward sliding movement of the closure. The arrangement of the handles 6 and 7 not only gives the operator a wide range in engaging the device, but, as well, these handles 6 and 7 serve as braces which co-act to prevent the body from losing its form.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a" box-like body including an end wall and side walls; a hollow member connecting the side walls between their ends, the rear, upper edge of the hollow member being upwardly and rearwardly inclined, away from said hollow member, to form a rigid transverse barrier; picker bars extended longitudinally of the body and secured to the end wall, the intermediate portions of the picker bars being extended through the hollow member, whereby the hollow member will form a means of support for the picker bars.

2. In a device of the class described, a box-like body including an end wall and side walls, the lower edge of the end wall being extended beneath the body to form a shoulder; a hollow member connecting the side walls between their ends, the rear, upper edge of the hollow member being upwardly and rearwardly inclined, away from said hollow member, to form a rigid transverse barrier; picker bars extended longitudinally of the body, and resting terminally upon the shoulder; means for securing the picker bars upon the shoulder; the intermediate portions of the picker bars being extended through the hollow member, whereby the hollow member will constitute a means of support for the picker bars.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARY JANE FRANCIS.

Witnesses C. H. FRANCIS, D. P. FODDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

